InsaneJournal

Who: Goblin!Neil and Lizard!Liam
What: Showdoown.
Where: The sewers, NYC.
When: Before plot end.
Warnings/Rating: Eh, some violence.

He had waited until he was in the sewers before taking the serum, the glass syringe full of the glowing green fluid that should have frightened him, but it didn’t, not any longer. Maybe Gwen had been right: the body wanted it, even if the mind didn’t, because Liam could not and would not deny what he wanted right then. The casual conversation with Neil, the way he spoke about what he had done without an ounce of apology, without a single word of shame. Liam was not someone who got angry easily, and maybe it was the fact that he was filling this role, this life, that made that anger something more volatile, but whatever it was, that serum had called to him, a siren’s song he would not and could not refuse.

Even the stink of the sewers was something he was becoming accustomed to, a thought that worried him for a moment even as he peeled off the button down shirt carefully with one hand, the emptied syringe laying in a bag at his feet. Look, he had even come prepared this time. A bag to hold his clothes. Even a spare change in there just in case something got messy; making his way from the sewers in a state of nudity had been something he did not want to experience again. He was learning. Adapting. And finding that he didn’t hate this life as much as he might have in the beginning.

The pants were folded carefully along with his shirt. Socks shoved into the shiny black shoes and put in the bag first, clothes on top, leaving him just a narrow, gangly thing in boxers because he did have a shred of modesty left in him. The lack of clothing made him all that more aware of his body, of his skin, and when things began to happen, he invited it, welcomed it with open arms. It was not a quick process, but the length of it gave him time to drop back down into himself, to pull on all those things that had happened in the last months, on the conversation that he had had with Neil, on thoughts of Sam and Seven, on Tristan and everyone else that had made up his life in the last months. He pulled on it, held onto it, grimaced through the pain even as it scorched through him. Bones lengthed, skin hardened, senses heightened, and with a roar that echoed far through the sewers, the Lizard made himself known.

His little date with the Lizard man pleased Goblin to no end, and Neil didn’t put up even one lick of a struggle in order to prevent what might very well turn out to be a messy encounter indeed. Oh, it probably came from some masochistic desire to suffer for his sins, since he couldn’t inflict harm upon himself, but frankly he didn’t care what the sad little man’s reasoning was for sitting back and playing dead. His encounter with Louis had left him snarling and hungry for the opportunity to regain lost pride, and then Liam had handed him exactly what he wanted on a silver platter. Playing with the big bad Lizard was just what he needed. No gods, no magic, just teeth and claws, fists and feet and maybe a few little tricks up his sleeve. There were no rules, after all, and not even Norman played fair when it was a matter of winning and losing. Failure simply wasn’t an option.

Finally, finally, he had a chance to put on the Goblin suit and take the glider out for a little spin. Oh, yes, this was going to be fun. It wasn’t quite the same as encountering the not-Spider, but a giant Lizard was certainly a more than adequate substitute. He took a little detour first, just for the hell of it, but the sewers beneath were a siren song he simply couldn’t resist. Most people would simply open the sewer cover, but not him; no, he blew it up instead, as explosions made such delightful sounds, and dove down into the dank depths with a maniacal cackle that echoed throughout the sewers as he entered their depths. Down here, it was a little tighter, less space, but he wasn’t going to relinquish his greatest weapon because of a little inconvenience. He could still navigate with the glider, as it was built to complement the suit and, by extension, him.

“Come out and play, little lizard,” he called, slowing his speed and hovering as he attempted to determine just how close his new friend was.

Wearing the skin of the lizard, Liam didn’t think as he normally did. He was less thought and more action, reaction, a creature who lived rather than a human who thought and planned, but that did not mean the lizard was lacking in intelligence. No, there was intelligence lurking in those yellow eyes, unmistakable as he ventured further into the sewers, his large form filling up the space, dominated by him. And he knew the moment the Goblin joined him down there. The explosions rocked him even down here, calling his attention with such accuracy that by the time the man on his glider, he had already discovered where he was.

“Play?” he growled out as he emerged into view, lights from further down the sewers at his back. Broad-shouldered and scaled with shades of green, there was nothing here that resembled the soft-spoken writer from Mississippi, and perhaps that was for the best. “I thought you’d never ask.” Its lips might have twitched up in a smile, but it lasted only a moment before all that aggression and fury poured out, propelling him forward through the dank water, a fist sailing out for that glider and its rider.

Oh, good, the overgrown reptile could talk. For a few seconds there Goblin had thought that he’d be stuck with mindless growls and snarls, or whatever sounds a creature like him made, which would be no less amusing but rather tiresome if those were the only responses he was capable of giving. He’d intended on giving his location away to lizard man, since he was far too impatient to waste time on games of chase down in the sewers. Of course, the fact that Liam was in his home element was a minor disadvantage, but it wasn’t one Goblin intended to let discourage him.

Impending violence aside, the lizard truly was a sight to behold. Somewhere in the very back of his mind, where Norman still clung to existence, there was a sense of awe mixed with interest, a desire to know how and study magnificent creature to his heart’s content, but not now. Later, perhaps, when they were all back in their rightful places. Right now, the lizard was his, and Goblin wasn’t interested in scientific observation. “Ooh, what big teeth you have,” he mocked, but behind the bright yellow-orange lenses, his eyes were alight with anticipation. He wasn’t exactly sure how his strength would hold up against the lizard’s, but he was about to find out; had he simply been a man, a little mentally unhinged, with a suit and a glider, he would have been in a great deal of trouble. But he wasn’t, oh no, not even close. Norman’s serum had worked, side effects aside, and when that reptilian fist came flying at him, he was ready.

He didn’t dodge. He didn’t swerve, or pull up, or dive down. No, instead he used his own two hands to stop the blow, simultaneously kicking a switch on the glider that gave him extra firepower in order to keep him from being forced in any given direction. “That the best you got, lizard boy?” It was no easy feat, staying in flight and holding the giant reptile at bay, but his strength was holding out well, and he was pleased with that, at least.

Idle chatter was not something the Lizard was at all interested in, so whatever verbal jabs the Goblin had to offer, they rolled right over him and down into the dank water of the sewer. He had come down here for a fight, and that was the only thing he was interested in right then. There was an almost-smile on the Lizard’s face (as much as he could smile), when the Goblin met him with both hands a burst from the glider for added power. “You speak big for a little man with a glider to back him up,” the Lizard snarled, giving another push, clawed feet digging into the cement bricks beneath him. But it wasn’t those hands that one had to worry about with him, not in the slightest.

It was the tail.

And it was that tail that swung around, hard and whip-fast, striking not for the Goblin but on that glider he rode like a chariot. Knock his toys out from beneath him, and they’d see who was stronger.

That second push was almost enough to send him spiraling backward. Almost, but not quite, and Goblin might have been able to hold out for a couple more minutes, until he could figure out how to turn the tables on Lizard man. “Oh, I’m so much more than a little man with a glider,” he snarled, and prepared for one final burst of speed before launching himself straight at the reptile’s ugly face. But alas, he’d overlooked that tail of his, and if it hadn’t been for his genetically enhanced reflexes, he might have been caught off guard. Fortunately, he sensed the appendage coming for him before it hit, and he was able to react accordingly.

His glider was knocked to the side, issuing a trail of thick, heavy smoke as it spiraled off into the sewers. It was sturdy, built to withstand, but not even its remote control capabilities could keep it connected to its master after such a heavy blow. Goblin, on the other hand, leapt into the air at the last second and used Lizard man’s fists to propel himself into a somersault, over the reptile’s head, and onto the ground behind him. “That wasn’t very nice,” he remarked, before a hidden blade slid out from his wrist armor and he jabbed down, into its skin, looking to pierce the outer layer and slice.

The sound of his tail hitting hard, knocking the glider out from beneath the Goblin and further into the guts of the sewer was one of the most satisfying noises he had heard all day. For a moment, there was only victory, short-lived as it was, and then his attention was back upon the other. No matter the Lizard’s strength and size being benefits most of the time, it also came with the curse of being large, heavy, slower to move to follow the Goblin’s somersault over and behind him. “I don’t play nice,” he said in response, just as the blade sunk deep into the lizard’s hide. He didn’t react immediately, instead just staring, golden eyes flashing with danger before he finally reacted. It came with a roar, and even with that blade buried deep, he didn’t hold back, hand darting forward, claws seeking purchase in the other’s form. “And neither do you, apparently,” it snarled, a dark blood leaking from the wound on his left arm, trailing down over scaled skin to join the rest of the fluids that flowed through the sewers.

Advantage number one: speed. Lizard man might be big and strong, but he was slower, and Goblin wasn’t about to let that go to waste. All he had to do was stay one step ahead and the overgrown reptile wouldn’t stand a chance. “Playing nice is boring,” he quipped, and then came the roar that indicated the lizard could feel pain. Good. He cackled wildly, withdrawing the blade and watching the blood seep out with glee. Oh, he didn’t intend to kill Liam-lizard, but he wanted to wound the beast, to take it down a couple of notches and establish his own dominance. Those claws of his were long and sharp, and while Goblin managed to get an arm up to keep them from sinking into his chest, not even his armor could protect him from all damage entirely. A scream of pain echoed within his mind, but he only let out a hiss to indicate it hurt, and the blade slid out again, attempting to force the lizard to pull back its claws and give him a chance to regain the upper hand.

Maybe it was the pain, maybe it was that fury and rage coming to a head, but even as blood leaked from the stab wound and his claws bit into the Goblin’s flesh, the Lizard did not back up. The serum was genius in its madness, regenerative properties that kicked in the moment there was injury, and even that stab from moments ago was already on the path towards healing. The blade Goblin used against him was nothing but an annoyance, a mosquito against his person, adrenaline kicking in to mask the pain it might have caused. There was another growl, deep in the things chest, and the Lizard drove forward, putting his considerable body weight into the push, trying to drive him down into the water, to drown him like a hissing, spitting cat.

It quickly became clear that, in this case, blades just weren’t going to get the job done. Goblin hadn't counted on any such regenerative properties, of which he had none; injuries healed faster for him than they would an ordinary human, but it was nowhere near the level of Connors' serum. But like hell was he going to let Lizard man tear him limb from limb, which meant he needed a new game plan, stat. In a struggle between the two, a face-to-face physical test of who was stronger, Goblin was clearly not on Lizard's level, which was why he didn't intend to play fair. He fought back with every ounce of strength he possessed, his only goal to hold his adversary at bay for a few seconds longer. If he got him down, under the water, he was doomed; which meant he had to stay up. He dug his heels into solid ground, brought his arm further up, and with his free hand reached to push the button that would call his glider back like a faithful dog. “Surprise, asshole,” he growled, and for a few seconds, there was absolutely no indication of what he was referring to.

And then, in a sudden hum of machinery and whirring air, the glider zoomed out from the depths of the sewers, all sharp edges aimed directly for the Lizard’s scaly face.

He might have been the Lizard in appearance and name, but not all of the experience came with that new role. He fought by instinct alone, using his size and strength to overpower the other man, but Goblin? He knew tactics, he knew how to plan, to look ahead more than a step or two, and that, it seemed, was the Lizard’s downfall. There was a grunt as he bore down on the man, pushing him back, trying to drive him down, and the words that came from the man puzzled him, but they weren’t curious enough for him to linger on or think over. At least, not until the sound of the glider came from the depths of the sewer.

Attention pulled from Goblin to the incoming form of the glider, there was another howl as sharp metal bit unto the creature’s scaly hide, tearing and slicing until he roared, retreating in response, those yellow eyes bright in the dim light. Its chest heaved with every breath, crouched on the wet concrete ground beneath them, and then he advanced again in a sudden burst, all forward momentum as he barreled towards that glider, intending on simply crushing it with the weight of his body, the strength of his claws. Surprise it was; but that didn’t mean he was going to let it drag him down. “You and your toys,” he snarled out, and then he turned, braced himself, and shoved the glider towards where Goblin stood, throwing it back in his direction.

For a brief moment, Goblin mourned his precious glider--as it was unlikely to withstand the Lizard’s rage--but there would be other gliders, better ones, more advanced creations. For now, he needed a distraction, and he valued his own hide far more than a silly little machine. He didn’t waste any time; as soon as those claws were wrenched free he was in motion, backing away from the reptile, putting space between them, and studying the damage to his armor and the skin beneath. Ouch. Neil was going to feel that in the morning. Oh well, not his problem. He edged around the Lizard, back against the sewer walls, as he fought with the glider, circling the beast warily. Blades, no. The glider was about to run its course. Time to really get his hands dirty, then.

“Me and my toys,” he chuckled. Lizard man’s little boomerang trick was a good one, he had to admit, and had he ducked a second later the glider might have actually done some damage. As it was, the glider just grazed his shoulder before crashing into the wall, and Goblin sprang back up a second later. “I’ve got more. Like this, see?” From his belt he pulled a small, rounded object, about the side of a baseball, metallic orange and glowing green from within. “Tell me, my reptilian pal, how do lizards hold up against explosives? Want to test it out?”

“You talk too damned much,” Lizard spat out as he watched the other pull things out of his belt, giving them a wary eye. This wasn’t a game of show and tell like Goblin was seeming to treat it, pulling out this blade and that glider and now these little spheres that were apparently filled with explosives. He didn’t wait for the other to respond before he rushed him again, several hundred pounds of green scales and muscular limbs, though at the last minute, he sprang instead into the air, landing hard just feet behind in order to deliver a fierce punch to the Goblin’s back. This fight needed an end, sooner rather than later.

Why Goblin had such a motormouth was a mystery. Norman certainly wasn’t Mr. Chatty, but maybe it was just the luck of the draw. The serum had been experimental, after all, hence why he’d tested it on himself in the first place, and the side effects were unpredictable. Whatever the reason, Norman’s little pal wasn’t about to shut up anytime soon. “Don’t hate me because of my superior language skills,” he mocked, though he was starting to think Lizard man wasn’t very much fun at all. Couldn’t anyone multi-task around here anymore? Oh well, he’d do enough talking for the both of them. When the overgrown reptile rushed him, he tensed in preparation, planning another one of his aerobatic tricks, but then he jumped instead. Huh. Goblin ducked and spun around to face his foe-- biiiiiig mistake. That punch caught him in the stomach, as opposed to his back, and while he didn’t exactly go flying, it did knock him back a few feet. He landed on his back with a splash, momentarily dazed, before springing back up to his feet. Okay, ow, that was gonna hurt in the morning. Sorry, Neil.

“Okay, asshole.” He reached for the explosive sphere, his thumb pressing down on the top, and the green glow within became brighter. “You wanna play? Let’s play.” With that, he threw the sphere with all his might, and detonation occurred when it was inches from the Lizard’s face. The explosion was nothing huge, but the sharp metal shards that shot out like mini projectiles was where the real danger was.

Explosions he had been expecting, but explosions right in his face he had not. The flash, the shards of metal that flew out and found a home in the thick green hide, they both had the Lizard stumbling back and away from the brunt of the explosion. There was another one of those howls of pain, echoing off the walls of the sewers as the Lizard looked for some bit of retreat. “I’m not playing your games,” it said, face covered with those clawed hands, shards of metal embedded deep in its skin, hard to pull out with his clawed fingers. The Lizard made one more attempt to lash out at the Goblin before he turned and retreated deep into the depths of the sewer, his anger almost palpabble in the dank air.

Retreat was more than Goblin dared hope for, but oh, it was so, so sweet. He laughed and laughed, the mocking sound echoing throughout the sewers as the Lizard disappeared into the dank depths of what he assumed was its home. “That’s right,” he called, already backing up in the other direction just in case the bumbling reptile changed its mind. “Crawl away with your tail between your legs, little lizard. This was fun. We should do it again sometime.” Still chuckling to himself, Goblin collected what remained of his glider and exited the way he’d entered, quite pleased with his victory indeed, inevitable bruises and claw marks lining his arm aside; Donovan could deal with those.